Episode 88: Villainous Jobs
Summary: Muahaha! Cower in fear, dear listeners, as Holly and Devin discuss villains… who need a paycheck too. Whether you’ve worked in Corporate America or just like to imagine hell as an office building, these books will be a home run.
Topics Discussed:
The Dagger (3:26): Holly discussed Sign Here by Claudia Lux, a satirical exploration of morality and corporate offices following Peyote Trip, a caseworker in the Deals Department of the fifth floor of Hell. Responsible for securing soups by making deals with humans desperate enough to sign away their afterlives, Peyote is on the cusp of a promotion. If he can sign up one more member of the Harrison family he’ll get a “Complete Set” - five souls from the same lineage. Holly’s key takeaways were:
Hell's depiction as a monotonous office environment serves as a critique of bureaucratic inefficiencies and the dehumanizing aspects of corporate life. Peyote's journey reflects a deeper quest for self-understanding and the possibility of redemption, even within the confines of Hell.
The novel explores the gray areas of morality, questioning the binary notions of good and evil through its characters' choices and motivations. The Harrison family's dynamics highlight the impact of generational secrets and the lengths individuals go to protect or escape their lineage.
For Holly, the premise of the story was stronger than the execution. While it was entertaining throughout, the two storylines of Peyote in Helly and the Harrison Family on Earth don’t come together as strongly and clearly as they could have.
The Heart (13:20): Devin discussed Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer, a BookTok-sourced Romantasy following Evie Sage, a young woman lying in the magical kingdom of Rennedawn who is in desperate need of a job. After an unfortunate firing and a spell of bad luck, she stumbles into a chance encounter with The Villain and ends up hired as his personal assistant. While yes, there are body parts swinging from the ceiling, his castle runs much like any business and Evie can handle the paperwork. Devin’s key takeaways were:
This novel highlights a recent publishing trend of storylines and authors becoming popular on social media sites like TikTok before they are published, then being signed by publishing companies to ride the wave of their popularity. Pros include increased diversity and a resurgence of popularity of reading in the zeitgeist, but Holly and Devin review cons like rushed editing and expected tropes as well.
Maehrer explores the idea that even villains deserve loyalty, empathy, and maybe even a decent lunch break. It’s a workplace comedy... if the workplace had torture chambers. The absurdity of running an evil empire like an office is what makes the “villainous job” theme shine. Capitalism meets chaos magic.
While not spicy at all, there are romantic elements to the story. The push-pull between danger and attraction for Evie and The Villain is delicious, especially when the boss could literally smite someone - but instead just broods silently when Evie talks to another guy.
Hot On the Shelf (35:54):
What’s Making Our Hearts Race (41:47):
Holly: The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO Max
Devin: Volunteering in her local community
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